The drive belt used on belt driven vehicles are normally entrained about a drive wheel and an idler wheel. In a frictionally driven endless belt propulsion system, the frictional couple between the endless belt and the drive wheel for driving the belt is dependant upon maintaining appropriate tension in the belt. Thus, the idler wheel is generally movable in a fore and aft direction relative to the drive wheel for controlling the tension in the drive belt. A recoil device is normally employed for the dual function of biasing the idler wheel in a forward direction to maintain the appropriate tension in the belt and permitting the idler wheel to recoil rearwardly against the biasing force to prevent over tensioning of the belt upon ingestion of debris between the belt and drive wheel or idler wheel. Some recoil systems use a linear actuator for controlling the fore and aft movement of the idler wheel and a hydraulic control system for maintaining a desired fluid pressure in the hydraulic actuator. Pressurizing the hydraulic actuator to the desired fluid pressure generates the appropriate tension in the belt.
One of the problems encountered in the heretofore known hydraulic recoil and belt tensioning systems is that the source of fluid for controlling the tension is generally an implement pump mounted on the vehicle to which the endless belt propulsion system is mounted. That control arrangement thus requires at least two conduits extending between the vehicle and the propulsion system for carrying fluid to and from the recoil system. Moreover, many of the endless belt propulsion systems are powered by a hydraulic motor connected to the drive wheel and, thus, at least two additional lines are required for carrying fluid between the vehicle and the drive motor.
The present invention relates to a hydraulic recoil and belt tension control system which utilizes the hydraulic motor drive circuit as the source of fluid thereby eliminating at least two hydraulic lines extending between the vehicle and the endless belt propulsion system.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.